Naked And Afraid Season 14: Release Date, Cast And New Details
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Have you ever asked the classic survival question: If you're stranded in the wilderness, what two things would you bring with you? You probably thought that clothes were automatically in the equation. However, that was never true for the "Naked and Afraid" contestants.
"Naked and Afraid" is one of the most — if not the most — peculiar and intense competition series on television. For either 14 or 21 days, two contestants meet for the first time and survive in an extreme environment, Discovery notes. The pair must work together to build a shelter, forage for food, hunt animals, and find water. And they have to do all of that without clothes.
The Discovery channel hit wrapped up its 13th season in September 2021, which consisted of just six episodes, per Amazon Prime. The finale followed two fans in South Africa who attempted a 14-day challenge amidst cape buffalo, heavy rains, and unpredictable temperatures. Of course, the exciting finale satiated "Naked and Afraid" fans for only a little while. Now, viewers are wondering just how long it will be before Season 14 debuts on Discovery+.
Season 14 debuted in February
While "Naked and Afraid" is a popular show on Discovery+, fans were worried that a new spinoff would delay the debut of Season 14. "Naked and Afraid of Love" began back on August 29 (via Amazon Prime).
However, Season 14 was back in action on February 27 (via Distractify). Discovery released a statement on the new season, telling fans what to expect: "From the haunted highlands in Chiapas and an abandoned village in Botswana to a complex and unnerving cave system in Colombia, this season takes brave survivalists to places where even the most experienced of 'Naked and Afraid' survivalists have had to tap out." The statement continued, "In the middle of a haunted jungle, two survivalists question everything, as strange events plague them. And when two survivalists stumble across an abandoned African village, they'll learn the hard way what led the villagers to flee and leave everything behind."
The cast is diverse this season
Season 14 of "Naked and Afraid" has the most diverse cast they have featured since the show debuted, and will have its first transgender woman competing (via Distractify). A man with Asperger's Syndrome will also be featured as a member of the cast, and super fans of the show can get be excited to see children of two All-Star contestants joining the survival experience as well. According to TV Acute, these kids will see if they can live up to their parent's legacy.
You might be wondering how the "Naked and Afraid" producers find their cast. Well, according to a Channel Guide Magazine interview in 2015, a casting director revealed that the series takes applications through an online portal. The same casting director stated that the number of applicants increases every year, but very few of them are actually qualified for the show.
Each person who participates in the show must have excellent survival experience. For instance, applicants should be able to show producers that they know how to "start fire in more than one way." They should also have decent shelter-making and foraging skills. While it isn't always easy to find these type of contestants, this season surely has found an experienced bunch.
New locations this season
In addition to coordinating a huge casting process, the "Naked and Afraid" showrunners had to also establish new locations for Season 14. This may seem impossible at this point, as the show has visited 35 countries on six continents so far, via People. But according to Discovery, Season 14 of "Naked and Afraid" will bring the audience and contestants to "never-before-seen locations."
Some locations this season may not seem very difficult but become difficult as the show progresses. As an example, "Naked and Afraid XL" recently filmed in the bayou of Louisiana. Contestant Matt Wright spoke to People about it and said, "The bayou of Louisiana was harder than any of the other locations I went to." Another contestant, Steven Lee Hall, added, "Everything in Louisiana wants to kill you."
Fans of the series should also keep COVID-19 restrictions in mind. Certain countries have travel restrictions in place to prevent tourists from coming or going. As a result, the shooting locations for Season 14 may have also been limited.